SMRTR Science & EngineeringJun 14, 2026Interesting Engineering

Scientists forge 24,000-atom mini universe that generates time without a single clock

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Scientists used 24,000 ultracold atoms to build a "mini universe" that generates its own sense of time without any external clock. Time emerged from rising entropy as atoms shifted between two regions, flowing in one consistent direction — offering a new way to experimentally test quantum gravity theories previously confined to theory.

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